EE will turn 3G signal into 4G on over 500 mobile towers in the next six months to boost speeds as 5G launch approaches in 2019.
The BT-owned operator said 4G customers will see a more reliable connection and faster mobile speeds. EE said 3G use is rapidly declining, noting that customers are now making more calls over 4G than 3G for the first time. WiFi calling has made it possible to make calls without a mobile connection.
Spectrum in the 2,100MHZ bracket will be re-farmed into 4G. EE will give the upgraded sites five ‘carriers’ of 4G, which it boasts is more than any other operator in the UK.
The soon to be upgraded sites are mainly spread across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Exeter, Hull, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast.
BT consumer business CEO Marc Allera (pictured) said: “Our customers want a fast and reliable 4G connection, and that’s what we’re working to give them. We are using the investment we made in 3G spectrum nearly 15 years ago to give customers today a great experience with the latest smartphones on 4G, and build our foundation for 5G in 2019. We’re constantly evolving, and the customer experience of 5G will be dictated by the quality of the 4G network underneath.”